Whether it's you, a friend or a family member, you've probably heard the expression: "I can't stop smoking cigarettes or I'll gain weight." Featured on the Dr. Oz Show, Whoopi Goldberg says she succeeded in kicking her tobacco habit and losing 30 pounds, sending a message to all those who use fear of weight gain as an excuse. We've got the skinny on how Whoopi succeeded in boosting her health and her weight loss here, including the fat-blasting chocolate morning shake that's a key part of the diet.

How it works: The diet is styled after the Mediterranean weight loss plan. It's specifically tailored to make it low-carb as well as low in calories to accelerate weight loss. Dieters limit their intake five days a week, then enjoy more food on weekends. Included are menu plans and fast, easy tasty recipes.

“It’s a chef’s point of view that’s been missing in the world of health,” DiSpirito said to ABC News. “These recipes are easy to make and they taste great.”

So how does the diet succeed in taking off five pounds in five days? The celebrity chef describes the process as transforming your body into a fat-burning machine. Phase one provides you with six mini protein-rich meals that equal 850 calories daily. (You get more calories on weekends). Phase two gives you more food and teaches you to maintain your success.

Featured in the diet: A six-ingredient morning chocolate shake (see the recipe below).

Dr. Oz expressed his joy and pride that Whoopi has stopped smoking. She began when she was only 12 years old. What motivated her to stop: A video showing two young children with Cystic fibrosis, which makes it hard to breathe. She recognized that although the children couldn't change their disease, she could change how smoking impacted her own lungs. Wrote Dr. Oz in a blog: "Every new moment provides you with a chance to accept the challenge to make your life better."

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Joanne Eglash has more than 25 years of experience as a freelance journalist and author. She's written articles, features, interviews, blogs, newsletters, and reviews for magazines such as Shape, Pregnancy and Success and for Web sites such as ediets and Yahoo. Joanne welcomes tips for her articles, which cover all aspects of health and lifestyles. She also is a freelance researcher and editor. Email her at snackscriber @ gmail.com